Feeding sheep

[Andy84]

Im looking at a better way to feed sheep in larger groups (300-500). I don't think ring feeders are the most efficient way both in time and the amount of ground poached. I'm looking either a bale unwinder type feeder or feed trailers. What is everyone's opinion?

 

[D.S.S18]

in snow, we roll them out with very little waste and pour cake on top.

 

[Al R]

There’s 2 cracking portequip 20ft bale feeding trailers on eBay, around £1300/piece I think?

What about 3-4 round feeders? I find outside on roots that 1 per 120 is ok, on short grass or inside better 1 round feeder per 60 works best.

I’ve seen recently people with straw choppers blowing silage over fence lines in 200metre long runs and the sheep eating it like that? Sheep trampling it in is the biggest problem with mobs though which is where feeding trailers come handy.

 

[Sheep92]

Id say you won't beat the simplicity of ring feeders, we made square feeders out of timer that hold two 4x4 bales each, have one per 200 ewes outside on greenery

 

[Agrivator]

The agrispread bale unroller works well, but the bales need to be well shaped, at least until you learn how to use it. My own experience is that it works best with hay or with haylage.

One major benefit is that you don't need to feed the whole bale at one site. And you can unroll in a continuous line or drop lumps at intervals.

And another benefit I have just discovered is that you can can dispense any amount into a sheep ring-feeder - but you need to tilt the unroller so
that the teeth of the unroller chain don't catch the top of the feeder.

 

[livestock 1]

Put a wagon load of fodderbeet out then leave them to it

 

[Bones]

At least ground is in good enough order to feed on ,

 

[Green farmer]

Id say you won't beat the simplicity of ring feeders,

Feed the sheep here once every 3 days from ring feeders. 1 per 50-60 ewes. I keep moving the feeder a few feet every time. Downside is it leaves a permanent circle of no growth outside where the feeder was for a few years after.have loads of little circles around the field. Must go over it with a land leveller and some grass seed on it this year.

 

[Ciderman8961]

We're feeding bales in feed trailers and fodder beet tipped out in field from tractor bucket for groups of 250-300 at the moment does help that fields are quite dry still at the moment

 

[Skintagain]

You will not beat fodder beet for simplicity but it is dear this year cause everything is dear.

Ring feeders cannot be beaten imo. Feed trailers are too dear and end up a terrible mess where used and you end up with long chains dragging them out cause you can’t anywhere near with tractor etc.

 

[livestock 1]

I don’t like the idea of putting silage on the ground for sheep. They are fussy eaters and they like to leave some then go back for it days later. A recipe for listeria

 

[Sheep92]

Feed the sheep here once every 3 days from ring feeders. 1 per 50-60 ewes. I keep moving the feeder a few feet every time. Downside is it leaves a permanent circle of no growth outside where the feeder was for a few years after.have loads of little circles around the field. Must go over it with a land leveller and some grass seed on it this year.

I keep the feeders in more or less the same dry place every year and level off with box and roll in some grass seed feck ruining a whole field, it's great to have so many sheep out some change from last year

 

[Green farmer]

I keep the feeders in more or less the same dry place every year and level off with box and roll in some grass seed feck ruining a whole field, it's great to have so many sheep out some change from last year

Im going to run out of silage mid February, so nearly afraid to hope for an early spring. But every day that stays mild and dry hopefully brings it nearer.

 

[Skintagain]

Im going to run out of silage mid February, so nearly afraid to hope for an early spring. But every day that stays mild and dry hopefully brings it nearer.

How long have you been feeding?

 

[michael N123]

There’s 2 cracking portequip 20ft bale feeding trailers on eBay, around £1300/piece I think?

What about 3-4 round feeders? I find outside on roots that 1 per 120 is ok, on short grass or inside better 1 round feeder per 60 works best.

I’ve seen recently people with straw choppers blowing silage over fence lines in 200metre long runs and the sheep eating it like that? Sheep trampling it in is the biggest problem with mobs though which is where feeding trailers come handy.

The pirtequip one don’t hold enough feed for big batches

 

[Green farmer]

How long have you been feeding?

Since start of November. Was lucky to get what silage I got after drought.

 

[JoeFo]

I have a hay bell, JFC, very little waste

 

[Al R]

The pirtequip one don’t hold enough feed for big batches

2 of them would? 3 bales on the bottom and 2 ontop of them so 5 bales, 2 feeders so 120 feeding spaces with 10 bales would last a fair while regardless of mob size?

 

[Farmer_Joe]

i dont like putting loads out i think it spoils, i more little and often then they clear it all up.

i have a field with some really old tracks across with stone underneath, i made 2/3 feeding spots with of rubble just off this track to feed them on, ground beyond feeders still get messy but at least there not stood in shite (rubbled area beyond feeder) and i can get to feeders without making a mess.

i use ring feeder ends and pannels from a square feeder to make fairly big feeder so fair few can get round it.